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 Todd, who had never finished better than sixth on tour, displayed
impressive poise and a sizzling short game to card a bogey-free
four-under-par 66 at the Four Seasons TPC in Irving.
He finished at 14-under 266, while Canadian Mike Weir (67), without
a win since 2007, claimed second place on 12-under.
Todd collected $1.24 million and an invitation to next year's
Masters, less than two hours down the road from where he went to
college at the University of Georgia in Athens.
"I thought I could win on the PGA Tour. It's taken a while but now
that I've won it's a dream come true," the 28-year-old told
reporters.
"I'm really excited, the relief I finally have a chance to play the
PGA Tour for multiple years (but) number one (is) going to Augusta."
Todd hit a number of good shots, including a bunker shot he holed at
the par-three second, but none was more memorable than his second
shot at the par-three 13th.
After yanking his tee shot 20 yards left of the hole, he was stymied
by a tree, so the right-hander instead chipped his second shot
left-handed.
He made near perfect contact and his ball trundled down to within
seven feet of the hole, from where he sank the putt for an unlikely
par.
"I just took my four-iron and just hit it with the back of the
club," he said.
"It just ran down there perfect. I didn't care where it went. I just
wanted to get it down near the hole."
Buoyed by the reprieve, Todd parred his way home, although victory
was not assured until he drilled a 15-foot par putt at the 17th and
then avoided water with his tee shot at the last.
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"There were so many up-and-downs on the back nine but that putt on
17 was huge. It allowed me to play a little more conservatively on
18. I couldn't even explain how (nervous) I felt on the back nine
today.
"I made one double-bogey in the first round and after that
absolutely scored my pants off. I have a great short game and even
I'll say it was amazing this week."
Weir, meanwhile, recorded his best finish since 2010. The 2003
Masters champion was the only one to exert any pressure on Todd on
the back nine as one player after another fell away.
Nobody was more disappointed than South African Louis Oosthuizen,
who started the final round tied for the lead with Todd, but crashed
out with a 74 to finish equal 11th.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by Ed
Osmond / Ian Ransom)
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